


Harder than we Suspected

by MagicMar



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Biblical References, Drug Use, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 18:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17945087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicMar/pseuds/MagicMar
Summary: Sal (a.k.a Sally Face), along with his high school best friends Larry, Ashley and Todd, is heading off to Nockfell University to begin his college career  While he's grateful to bs going with friends, he's irrefutably scared of what's to come of his change in scenery.orSal and the gang are headed off to college, and he has no idea what he'a gonna do with the suddwn change.





	Harder than we Suspected

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a (non-paranormal & modern) Sally Face College AU! If you want to know extra about this AU (majors, ages, etc.) I'll be posting about it on my Tumblr @magic-mar  
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> PSA: I'm not in college so if I get anything wrong or can make anything more realistic please let me know!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sal and Larry arrive at their new campus, shenanigans ensue.

Sal is sat in the passenger seat in of Lisa’s old PT Cruiser, Larry loves to complain about it:  _ “It’s ancient”  _ but Sal always says that he’s lucky he even  _ has  _ a car, one of Sanity's Falls older singles blasting from the radio as Lar drives. Sal has two backpacks at his feet and is uncomfortably aware of the suitcases thrown in the backseat. 

This idea, this  _ reality _ , that he’s headed to  _ college  _ hasn’t really sunk in yet. He doesn’t think it has for Larry either. For now the two are sat, letting the music fill their ears and brains as they made their way to the campus of Nockfell University ( _ “there really aren’t any creative names for schools around here”  _ Sal always thought), a mere 45 minute drive from Addison Apartments.

Sal was lucky enough to go to university with and share a room with Larry, he’s grateful that his other friends (Ashley and Todd) are going too but he doesn’t know what he’d do without Lar, he’s Sal’s rock, always has been and always will be. The prospect of sharing a room with him is hardly a problem, especially when Todd is in the building a mere few hallways down.

His main problem was his classes, Larry was mostly taking classes for his Associates degree credits as, unlike Sal and Todd who’d graduated high school with those degrees intact thanks to advanced classes, he hadn’t gotten a head start on that in high school. Even so, his and Todds wildly different majors (Music and Software Engineering respectively) he seriously doubts they’d have classes together. He hasn’t asked Ash though, so until he gets ‘round to that he’ll have to figure out how to make it through at least this semester without sticking out like a sore thumb in class (which his hair and mask are sure to accomplish anyway).

“You alright there Sally Face?” Sal just barely heard Larry over the music, “You look super lost in thought,”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah I’m fine, Larry Face. Just thinkin’ about… everything, ya’know?”

Larry smiled a bit, “Definitely, but it’s really no use getting all stuck up about it. Ain’t gonna do you any good. Anyway, it’s not like you’re going through it all alone,”

Sal sighed, he’s right, Larry usually is about these things. Doesn’t stop his mind from running off with every negative thought though, “It’s just going to be difficult. Can you imagine the amount of people asking about my mask in class and hallways and lunch hall and, ugh, everything. It’s easy enough in a high school with  _ maybe  _ 300 students, but a campus full of kids? I don’t think I’ll survive,” Sal spilled all his anxious thoughts to Lar, who turned down the music a tad before responding.

“Dude, I swear you’ll be fine, okay? It’s just your mind overreacting again. Yeah, there’ll be questions, but when is there not? You’ll handle it, and we’ll be right there if anything happens. There will be no repeat of Jersey, you have your friends now. And I doubt half the school’s population will be sober enough to notice,” Sal smiled, what would he do without Larry?

 

**…**

 

The two boys trudged up the hallway of the boy’s dorm building, a backpack and suitcase each as they made their way to room 118.

Eventually they got the door open and Sal rushed in, dropping his bags on the bed on the right side of the room, officially claimed. Larry scoffed, dropping his backpack on the other bed and lifting the suitcase up on top of his desk. Sal mimicked him, unzipping the suitcase and pulling opening some dresser drawers to start unpacking.

  
  


The two spent the rest of the morning unpacking are were currently arguing about who’s Sanity’s Falls posters should go where when Sal got a message from Todd.

“Dude, no, I have the  _ original album  _ art on this poster. It gets main wall privileges”

“Larry, the  _ classic  _ logo should go on the main wall obviously-” Sal’s message alert went off on his desk, so he shot Lar a look and checked his phone.

The text from Todd said:  _ “Hey Sal, and Larry I’m assuming since you two are never even five feet apart, I just got to my room (89) and I’ll be unpacking for the next hour or so and it’ll be boring as shit so if you two, assuming you’re done with your room, want to come down and keep me company I’d appreciate it”  _ he added a moment later,  _ “also tell Larry he’s a little shit for taking my headphones, and that I know it was him” _

“Who’s that?” Larry said, he was putting up  _ his  _ poster on the wall.

Sal rolled his eyes, “Todd, he wants us to head to his room while he unpacks, also did you really steal his headphones?”

“Shit, I didn’t think he’d notice that fast. Whatever, I’ll bring ‘em to him let’s go,” he began unzipping the backpack and pulled out some headphones, assumingly Todd’s.

Sal slipped on a black sweater and grabbed his phone, following Larry out the door.

  
  


Sal and Larry were lying on Todd’s bed making idle conversation while Todd organized his things, Sal gazing at the empty bed, “Any idea who your roommate is gonna be?” he asked. 

“I looked on the sheet that gave me and all I know is that his name is Travis Phelps and he’s majoring in Musical Theatre,” Todd took a stack of folded pants and filled his second drawer.

Larry snorted, “They put an engineering and  _ theatre _ major in same room? This is going to be a riot,” he mindlessly scrolled through his phone.

Sal rolled his eyes, again, “Just hope he’s not some sort of pompous asshole. The last thing you want to get stuck with is a shitty roommate for a whole semester-”

All three heads turned when the door creaked open, a dark-skinned blonde boy stepping in, a duffel bag in hand and a backpack slung over his shoulder.

There was a beat of semi-awkward silence before Todd spoke, “You must be my roommate, Travis right?” he nodded, “I’m Todd, these are my friends Larry and Sal,” Sally gave a small wave and Larry just smirked at him a bit. “I’m just unpacking now,” he continued, “and those two  _ shouldn’t _ be much of a bother,”

Travis smiled awkwardly and opened up his bags, pulling out clothes and stacking them on the bed.

“Actually, do you mind if I help? I feel useless just lying here,” Sal shifted out of his spot and to his feet, “Speak for yourself,” Larry quipped making them all laugh (just a bit from Travis).

“Sure, if you don’t mind,” Travis gave him a small smile and moved to the desk to give Sal some room to work.

Eventually they worked out a system where Sal would fold (if necessary) and pass clothes to Travis as he sorted them into his dresser. Other than Todd’s scattered comments and Larry’s incessant humming, the four boys existed in comfortable silence.

“Welp,” Larry pushed himself off the bed, “I’m heading out, you coming Sally Face?”

“Sally Face?” Travis asked, his voice still a bit timid. “Ah, it’s a nickname. Because of, well-” he gestured to his mask and Trav nodded, “I think I’ll finish up here and meet you at the room.”

“You don’t have to,” Travis quickly added, “It’s just some more shirts and books, I can handle it.” Sal shut him down, though, “We’ll just be laying around our own room until lunch anyway, it’ll only take like fifteen minutes.”

Larry shrugged and walked out with a quick “See you, Sally Face.”

“That reminds me,” Todd closed his laptop, he’d been on it for the last half-hour at least, “do you and Larry want to go somewhere for lunch? We can look on campus or leave if you have anything in mind,”

Sal handed the last of the jeans and shorts to Travis and zipped up his bag, “Yeah, I’m down, text Lar about it. I think I saw a Burger King on the way here if that works,” he turned to Travis, “You in?”

Travis look a bit shocked as he closed up the dresser, “Huh? Really? Sure but, I don’t want to like, intrude or anything. You three are clearly friends,” Travis gestured weakly to them. “Dude, it’s fine. Plus you’re going to be living with our buddy for the next 9 weeks, we might as well get to know you, right?”

Travis turned away quickly, but Sal caught a glance at a smattering of blush on his cheeks, “Yeah... yeah, right, thanks for the invite,” Sal glanced at Todd and caught him rolling his eyes. “Right, well I’ll text Lar and head down, meet downstairs in 15?” Todd stuffed his phone and wallet into his pockets and made his way to the door.

“Yeah, see you in 15,”

“See you, Sal,"

There was a beat of silence after the door clicked shut before the two rummaged to grab their things. 

Just as Sal grabbed his phone and room keys he turned to Travis, who’d cleared his throat.

“I didn’t think it was polite to ask, I mean, it probably still isn’t. We’re strangers after all but, I mean, your mask. Is it like, real? Or some kind of fashion statement?” he quickly added, “It’s fine either way! You also don’t have to answer, I’m just… curious,”

Sal tensed, he expected this but it’s always weird and awkward the first ask, he played it as chill, not a huge source of insecurity or anything, “It’s fine, man. Yeah it’s real, a prosthetic, just some freak accident when I was a kid,” he felt it  _ wasn’t  _ pleasant to mention his dead mom to the new guy, “I have a bunch of scars ‘n shit from surgery so I cover it up, no big deal.” He heard Travis let out a nervous breath.

“Yeah, sorry for even asking. I know it isn’t my business,” Travis shifted in his spot uncomfortably.

“‘S fine, let’s head out,” Sal took a step towards the door and gestured for Travis to follow.

_ “This is gonna be an adventure,” _ he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> My updates will probably be sparratic but I hope you stick around for more!
> 
> Also PSA: I'm NOT in college and I only know about from other stories and bits from family so if I get anything wrong please Please PLEASE comment and I'll fix it right away!


End file.
